(CNN) - Fresh off a beachside vacation, Vice President Joe Biden resumed his campaign trail attacks Monday, this time with a new target in the mix.

Biden, at an event in Durham, North Carolina, argued the decision to pick Rep. Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney's running mate offers a "stark choice" for voters this fall.- Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker

"The differences couldn't be more clearly laid out through the selection than you're going to hear," Biden said.

Biden called Ryan on Sunday to congratulate the Wisconsin congressman, who was announced as Romney's No. 2 at a campaign even in Norfolk, Virginia the day prior. But the vice president said the move to put Ryan on the ticket further clarifies the differences between the two campaigns this fall.

"These are stark, stark choices," Biden said.

Democrats have since pounced on the running mate pick, using the House budget committee chairman's controversial budget plan as a way to paint a Romney presidency as a threat to popular entitlement programs, like Medicare and Social Security.

Ryan's $3.5 trillion budget proposal, first introduced in 2011, includes the provision that Medicare-approved private insurers would one day compete with traditional Medicare on an exchange. The proposal would not affect Americans currently over age 55. The plan's opponents, however, say that would increase the financial burden on senior citizens.

In his remarks Monday, Biden refrained from digging too far into the so-called Ryan plan, instead using the opportunity to tie Romney with House Republicans, at large.

"Congressman Ryan has given definition to the vague commitments that Romney's been making. There's definition to it now," Biden said. "It's clear. Congressman Ryan and the Congressional Republicans…have already passed in the House what Governor Romney is promising to give the whole nation."

The vice president countered the idea that the policies promoted by a Romney-Ryan White House would offer bold solutions.

Defending his proposals, Ryan said Sunday his plan would retool Medicare so that it remains financially soluble for future generations.

"My mom is a Medicare senior in Florida," he said in an interview with CBS News. "Our point is we need to preserve their benefits, because government made promises to them that they've organized their retirements around."

Romney has in turn embraced Ryan's budget plan in the past, comparing them to some of his own economic policies. The presumptive GOP nominee, however, has not made Ryan's plan a part of his platform in the 2012 campaign, and in a set of campaign talking points obtained by CNN on Saturday, surrogates are reminded, "Of course they aren't going to have the same view on every issue."

Responding to the speech, Romney's campaign said Biden "doubled down" on what it called the "failed policies" of the Obama administration.

"Vice President Biden today doubled down on the same failed policies that have resulted in skyrocketing debt, higher taxes and record job losses," Romney spokesman Ryan Williams said in a statement. "The Romney-Ryan ticket will lay out a bold vision for our country and promote commonsense policies that will create jobs, help the middle class and turn around our struggling economy."

But the vice president on Monday argued Romney's choice of Ryan will turn off voters in the end, arguing the selection represents a move further to the right within the Republican Party.

"Folks, this ain't your father's Republican Party. It's not even Governor Romney's father's Republican Party," Biden said, referring to the late George Romney, former Michigan governor and one-time presidential candidate.

Biden's speech came shortly after President Barack Obama delivered jabs against Ryan, warning an Iowa crowd about the congressman's position on the controversial farm bill.

"I am told that Governor Romney's new running mate Paul Ryan might be around Iowa the next few days. He is one of the leaders of Congress standing in the way. So, if you happen to see congressman Ryan tell him how important this farm bill is to Iowa and our rural communities," the president said.

soundoff(140 Responses)

Mitt I'm an independent and you lost my vote because Ryann is too dangerous for America. Im sure your supporters skipped reading Ryann's plan. Maybe because the plan was too long, okay complex or they just didnt have the stomach to read every word. Too radical for our time...

August 13, 2012 07:51 pm at 7:51 pm |

uncdig

Wow – Biden knows how to speak. The biggest do nothing hide in the shadow & only come out when hes ready to do or say something stupid VP in the history of the US is throwing stones at someone who is actually atriculate & intelligent? Ryan's budget plan actually got dem votes – why because it is a smart plan. Obama's budget got how many rep votes?Can any reader name one accomplishment that Biden has done as VP? Didnt think so.

August 13, 2012 07:55 pm at 7:55 pm |

luckjoe

The top 1% pay 95% of all federal income tax. Obama wants to totally socialize America. Our country is in trouble. Vote Romney-Ryan 2012.

August 13, 2012 07:59 pm at 7:59 pm |

Liz the First

I hope President Obama sent RMoney a thank-you note for giving him his best birthday present EVER! Ryan is the poster boy for everything bad about the repug party. he epitomizes Greed Over People, and he brags about it like it was a good thing. republicans basically have a totally twisted vision of what government is for. they are social Darwinists who truly believe in the survival of the fiscally fittest. is that really the kind of country anyone thinks America is, or should be? we as a country are better than republicanism.

August 13, 2012 08:08 pm at 8:08 pm |

TKO

I just find this whole "Obama has no plan" hilarious. Romney's econmic "plan" has been rejected by economists both right and left as completely untenable. And now ryan steps into the mix with a plan that is simply more trickle-down. Go back to the history books and study a little econ 101: the economic woes in this country have been growing since the eighties, when middle class wages began to stagnate in the face of huge tax breaks for the wealthy, which continued to grow through the 90's til now. The buying power of the middle class has shrunk because all the wealth is tied up in speculation and investment and NOT in job creation or increased wages. When no one can afford to buy, jobs disappear. Pushing more money into the hands of the wealthy will simply tie up more of this country's wealth and make it unavailable to the middle class. The deficit was driven up by Bush through his war, but we do NOT need austerity right now–Europe has shown us that much. We need more spending on infrastructure (jobs) and that will happen when we shift the tax burden back onto the wealthy, where is was until the 80's, and free that money up to help rebuild. You may not like these ideas, but the facts are in folks–giving money to the rich does not work

August 13, 2012 08:11 pm at 8:11 pm |

janelle

It's a stark choice alright, and I know a lot of Liberals will be absolutely stunned come Nov 7th when the Conservatives win. Liberals just don't get it, most Americans are not stupid. We can do basic math and have common sense. The only people who don't realize that Obama's policies will put us in the same shape as European Socialist Democracy's are the ones who want to be taken care of instead of realizing their dreams themselves.

August 13, 2012 08:16 pm at 8:16 pm |

Atul Chaudhary

I am glad the Joe Biden thinks about America which will be saved when Romney/Ryan come to the power. You're right, there are contrast choices between Pres and Paul Ryan, a reformer. Joe, you have not spared any stones unturned to take great America to the path of it's death.

August 13, 2012 08:25 pm at 8:25 pm |

Rollie

Janine, If as you say "Romney is the better choice..." tell us, why won't he release his tax returns? Pretty suspicious and also contrary to American political tradition. Downright un-American I'd say.

August 13, 2012 08:29 pm at 8:29 pm |

Paul R.

A choice between social-engineering, welfare-state promoters who believe in illegal immigration, class warfare, higher taxes, quantitative easing as a solution to record unemployment and a lowering of our nation's credit rating on one side and a successful businessman and a spokesperson for fiscal prudence on the other side IS a stark choice. For once, Biden got it right, and he didn't even have to plagiarize it.

August 13, 2012 08:58 pm at 8:58 pm |

Auggie Doggy

Stark choices.... rejection of Socialism and free money handouts to deadbeats, welches and mooches,[ride in America and the military, recovery and prosperity – or decline, bankruptcy and failure, all under the ruse of wealth redistribution and "transparency" . Hmmmm, what to do, what to do, what to do.....

August 13, 2012 09:02 pm at 9:02 pm |

jsheez@gmail.com

All of you people rooting for Romney/Ryan must be either wealthy or part of the 45% of america that are uneducated and racist. the same people on here screaming about Obama's birth certificate, are the same people who think Romnet should not show his taxes. How can root for someone, who claims if we don't tax the rich or job creators, they will create jobs?? you wanna know why you can't find a job, that pays well, because you wanna vote for someone who wants to cut your education funding, allow these job creators to continue to send jobs overseas, to save money and they can get richer. but want to keep military spending entact. We have a fleet of fighters that cost billions, paid for that have never seen combat. We have enough nukes to destroy the world 100 times over and their uranium could be used for more clean nuclear power. but these two wanna cut medicare, foodstamps ( the right for every american citzen to eat). You wanna vote for a tax cut for wealthy aka job creators, who are complaining about obamacare. but don't wanna put more $$ towards healthcare for workers. you say obama has done a lack luster job. But how can expect someone to clean up a mess from 8 yrs in 3yrs??? Why don't the rich and you ignorant people just blantantly come out and say we need to get this nig guh out of office. because you know Romney\ryan doesn't make any sense but because you have no other sensible option your going to vote for him?? Who's dummer you or the rich puppet....

August 13, 2012 09:02 pm at 9:02 pm |

Marty, FL

Janine,
Please research the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center that found Romney/Ryan would grossly increase deficits by $5 trillion.

Obama/Biden's plan reduces deficits by $2 trillion. Truth.

August 13, 2012 09:28 pm at 9:28 pm |

SM

Obamanites just don't get it. Obama/Biden tell you the rich need to pay their "fair" share, but do they ever define fair? The top 2% – pay 47% of the Federal Income tax. How many Obamanites don't pay any taxes at all??? Do any Obamanites even understand that taxing the rich more ( which, by the way – they probably wouldn't reject if it was put more like "pay more taxes" instead of "pay fair share" ) would hardly make a dent in the Federal Deficit. Do Obamanites understand that just paying the interest on the deficit is probably enough to cover Obamacare costs, but instead of tightening the belt and getting fiscal control, they drink the koolade that the Dems dish out and hand out more and more entitlements, getting people used to the hand-out.

Personally – don't care what anyone has to say about this post. I am Middle Class, I have a job that i worked hard to obtain. I paid for my college by working 2-3 jobs and i have never had a hand-out from any govt agency even though my wife is suffering from major medical reason. I pay a large amount in both SS and Med taxes and donot expect to have any waiting for me at retirement so I save my money and use 401 as best I can. Just one thing I can say to all these people drinking the koolade – IT WON'T LAST FOREVER!